Alexis Powers: Dancing in the desert rain

A friend of mine has a diabetic grandson who at the age of five taught her that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass — it’s about learning to dance in the rain. Each day is a gift for him. Instead of focusing on what he cannot do, he enjoys his healthy days and accepts the not-so-healthy ones.

Why not embrace life as an adventure with a chance to dance when we can, with or without music, with or without a partner?

The other morning I walked my dogs as light showers fell on my hair, face and clothing. Why was I surprised that with my shirt wet, the coolness of water on my face and seeing the fur of each dog glisten, I felt loved by the universe? Glorious rain; how sweet it is.

One of my fondest memories is of being on a beach in Italy, alone, with a storm approaching. The wind whipped my hair, the waves charged onto the shore and the sky was filled with amazing clouds.

Raising my arms to the heavens, I moved my body to the rhythm of the waves. So much more fun than being at the beach under a hot sun with thousands of sun worshipers.

Instead of waiting for the “right” moment, take advantage when opportunity presents itself. A friend’s sad experience enforced this belief. Going up in a hot air balloon was her dream. The day she and her husband went to a hot air balloon festival they decided the line was too long and they would go another time. Unfortunately, her husband passed away less than a year later. With tears in her eyes she told me her husband was gone, adding, “I so wish we had gone up in the hot air balloon when we had the chance.”

That was the moment I resolved to take risks, to do things that appealed to me and not worry about whether the time was right. As a result, I made an impulsive decision to leave Albuquerque, moving to Tucson within two weeks.

The universe has since smiled on me, convincing me that wasting time, fretting about whether you are doing the right thing, is not the way to react. “Follow your bliss” is my motto.

Probably because rainwater is such a welcome relief from the Tucson heat, it becomes a symbol of abundance. Each time I see the rain coming down I feel like running outside. Never have I done that, but since I walked Charlie and Toots in the rain a few days ago, I will begin that habit. So if you see an old woman with magenta hair dancing down the street, please wave and acknowledge her exuberance.